New Bobby V’s now taking bets in Stamford

Published 7:37 pm, Friday, June 16, 2017

Workers continue putting on the finishing touches to the New Bobby V's, a Sports Bar, Restaurant, and OTB lounge in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 16, 2017.

Workers continue putting on the finishing touches to the New Bobby V's, a Sports Bar, Restaurant, and OTB lounge in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 16, 2017.

Photo: Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media

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Bobby Valentine unwraps a signed Pete Rose jersey that will be displayed at the new Bobby V's, a Sports Bar, Restaurant, and OTB lounge in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 16, 2017.

Bobby Valentine unwraps a signed Pete Rose jersey that will be displayed at the new Bobby V's, a Sports Bar, Restaurant, and OTB lounge in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 16, 2017.

Photo: Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media

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A worker sands a wall as finishing touches to the new Booby V's, a Sports Bar, Restaurant, and OTB lounge before its opening in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 16, 2017.

A worker sands a wall as finishing touches to the new Booby V's, a Sports Bar, Restaurant, and OTB lounge before its opening in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 16, 2017.

Photo: Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media

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Bobby Valentine and Ted Taylor, president of Sportech Venues, share a laught as the new Bobby V’s prepares to open as a Sports Bar, Restaurant, and OTB lounge in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 16, 2017.

Bobby Valentine and Ted Taylor, president of Sportech Venues, share a laught as the new Bobby V’s prepares to open as a Sports Bar, Restaurant, and OTB lounge in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 16, 2017.

Photo: Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media

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Work continues as the new Bobby V's, a Sports Bar, Restaurant, and OTB lounge, prepares for its weekend opening in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 16, 2017.

Work continues as the new Bobby V's, a Sports Bar, Restaurant, and OTB lounge, prepares for its weekend opening in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 16, 2017.

Photo: Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media

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The new Bobby V's prepares for its weekend opening as a Sports Bar, Restaurant, and OTB lounge in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 16, 2017.

The new Bobby V's prepares for its weekend opening as a Sports Bar, Restaurant, and OTB lounge in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 16, 2017.

Photo: Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media

New Bobby V’s now taking bets in Stamford

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STAMFORD — Bobby Valentine invited about 60 of his friends for an unofficial opening of his new downtown venue last weekend to watch the Belmont Stakes.

Winners, the off-track betting portion of the new Bobby V’s restaurant and sports bar, opened this week on the second floor of the impressive 25,000-square-foot businesses.

“It’s crazy. That’s one way of describing it,” Valentine said Friday of the restaurant. “It’s big.”

The opening of the restaurant and bar has been delayed until next week because of adjustments needed to fire sprinklers and a fire door.

“I’d rather have it done right than done quickly,” said Ted Taylor, president of Sportech Venues, a New Haven betting firm that has partnered with Valentine on the venture.

The establishment, which seats between 650 to 700 people and has 230 television monitors, is the 16th OTB venture for Sportech, which is the state’s only OTB betting licensee. It is the second partnership with Valentine after opening a similar venue in Windsor Locks in early 2014.

Taylor said patrons of Winners need to be 21 years old, but the rest of the business is family oriented.

Executive Chef Jordan Stein said the food at the new restaurant will be very different from the offerings at Bobby V’s old place on Main Street that closed in April.

“What we have done is taken bar food and elevated it to the next level, using first-class ingredients and our ice cream is being made by an artisan ice cream maker,” Stein said.